In a candid conversation with Movified, actor and coach Saurabh Sachdeva shared insights from his early days of acting training under the legendary Barry John — and how a surprising moment shifted his perspective forever.
“I honestly didn’t know Shah Rukh Khan had studied at Barry John’s school,” Saurabh revealed. “It was about a month into the course when some fellow students brought it up. They spoke so highly of him — with this kind of reverence that only SRK can inspire.”
As many aspiring actors expressed their desire to “be the next Shah Rukh Khan,” a powerful statement from Barry John left a lasting impact on Saurabh.
“Barry sir once said, ‘I don’t want to make another Shah Rukh Khan. I want people to say your name — not call you the next someone else.’ That changed everything for me,” he recalled.
That one piece of advice — to be original, to be authentic — has stayed with Saurabh throughout his journey. Today, both as a performer and a mentor, he continues to carry forward that philosophy: that in a world full of comparisons, the boldest thing an artist can be is themselves
